Shai Gilgeous-Alexander just made history; not just on the court, but on the payroll. After agreeing to a record-breaking contract extension this summer, the Oklahoma City Thunder star is set to earn $68.1 million per year, making him the highest-paid player in NBA history under the new salary cap system.
To put that into perspective: that’s more than the entire 2013-14 San Antonio Spurs roster made combined. Yes, the same Spurs squad that won the NBA championship with legends like Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, and Kawhi Leonard — all together earned just $63.5 million that year.
That team, widely considered to be one of the best of its time, won 62 regular-season games under head coach Gregg Popovich, who maintained a team-first culture in the locker room that every player bought into. They took down LeBron James in his prime, winning the 2014 Finals in five games.
It’s a staggering example of how far NBA finances have come in just over a decade, and how much value Shai brings as the face of the Thunder’s title-winning core. After watching him average 32.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game to capture his first MVP, the Thunder did not hesitate to offer him a lucrative deal, even though it would have been impossible just a few years ago.
Looking back, the Spurs’ payroll that year seems shockingly low for a team that dominated the league. Their best player, Tim Duncan, made just $10.4 million while veteran point guard Tony Parker claimed $12.5 million. That’s not to mention legendary sixth man Manu Ginobili, who somehow was only on the books for a measly $7 million.
That team was a clinic in team-first basketball, built on chemistry, smart contracts, and player development. Their payroll reflected an era before the explosive growth of TV revenue and the salary cap jump that followed (which was at $58.6 million in 2014). Of course, their salaries were way ahead of those who came before them.
At the time, Kobe Bryant was the highest-paid player in the entire league with an annual salary of over $30.4 million. In second place was Dirk Nowitzki, who made $22.7 million.
Today, that salary is easily matched by high-level role players like Tyler Herro, CJ McCollum, and Jerami Grant. In fact, even younger players like Jonathan Kuminga, Josh Giddey, and Cam Thomas are seeking $30+ million deals.
That’s not to mention those at the very top, who are making more than double the earnings from the 2013-14 season’s top performers. Shai alone is set to make $68.8 million in 2028-29, more than the entire 2014 championship team combined. His total projected value is a whopping $340 million.
This massive rise in player compensation reflects the league’s broader economic explosion, as new media rights, international growth, and player branding power have sent values sky-high.
The NBA has transformed into a superstar economy, and Gilgeous-Alexander is the perfect example. In just over a decade, we’ve gone from full championship rosters making $60 million to individual stars commanding that amount on their own. It’s a sign of both the league’s financial boom and SGA’s remarkable rise to the top. With Oklahoma City fully behind him, he’s changing the landscape for the next generation of supermax players.
